Pakistan name Test & T20I squads for Australia tour, Sarfaraz dropped

Former Pakistan captain Sarfaraz Ahmed has been omitted from the Test and T20I squads to face Australia. Chief selector and head coach Misbah-ul-Haq announced the squad to feature on the tour of Australia. Pace bowler Mohammad Irfan made a comeback to the national team, while Mohammad Rizwan has replaced Sarfaraz behind the stumps.

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Experienced left-arm spinner Kashif Bhatti was named in the Test squad along with debutant Abid Ali, who has time and again shown his talent in the domestic circuit. Fast bowler Imran Khan made a came back into the side. Pakistan also recalled Iftikar Ahmed to strengthen their middle order on the tour of Australia.

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Towering pace bowler Mohammad Irfan also has made a return. Pakistan included 3 debutants in the T20I squad, hoping to turn their recent debacle against Sri Lanka around. Musa Khan was included in the squad along with middle-order batsman Khushdil Shah and wrist spinner Usman Qadir. Hasan Ali has been ruled out of the tour due to a recurring back injury while Shaheen Afridi has been named only for Tests after an injury comeback.

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In Pakistan's post-World Cup shake-up, Sarfaraz had been sacked as captain of the Test and T20I sides and a decision on the ODI captaincy was put on hold. Pakistan's next 50-over assignment isn't until July next year. Also out of the Test side are Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan, and Mohammad Amir, who had announced his retirement from the longest format earlier this year.

In T20Is, there was no place for Ahmed Shehzad and Umar Akmal, who were selected in controversial circumstances for the series at home against Sri Lanka recently. Pakistan also left out pacer Mohammad Nawaz in the squad as well. Pakistan's tour of Australia comprises of three T20Is and two Tests, beginning with the first T20I in Sydney on November 3.

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Pakistan squad for the tour of Australia

T20 squad: Babar Azam (captain), Asif Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Sohail, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Imam-ul-Haq, Khushdil Shah, Muhhamad Amir, Muhammad Hasnain, Muhammad Irfan, Muhammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Shadab Khan, Usman Qadir, and Wahab Riaz.

Test squad: Azhar Ali (captain), Abid Ali, Asad Shafique, Babar Azam, Haris Sohail, Imam-ul-Haq, Imran Khan Sr, Iftikhar Ahmed, Kashif Bhatti, Muhammad Abbas, Muhammad Rizwan, Musa Khan, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shan Masood, and Yasir Shah.